Pipe cutter



D. W. HICKEY April 5, 1932.

PIPE CUTTER Filed Jun@` 18,

1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l D. W. HICKEY PIPE CUTTER April 5, 1932.

Filed June 18, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. s, i932 1,852,412

UNITED STATES PATENT g OFFICE DANIEL "W, HKlEY, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA :PIPE CUTTER application inea June is, 1930. seran no. 461,964.

rlhis invention relates to a pipe cutter eln- A clamp ring 15 fits the outer periphery of ployinp' a torch to cut pipes upon planes at the pipe and is secured thereto by a series of various angles relative to the axis of the pipe, screws 16. Arms 17 rigidly connected to the the device being particularly designed for clamp ring 15, project obliquely outvard and @i use in cutting` pipes of the larger sizes. As is longitudinally of the pipe 10 to support an 55 'well known, much time and labor expended annular guide 18. Pivot bolts 19 connect the with the old forms of hand operated pipe outer ends of the armsl' with the guide 18 cutters. This is particularly truc where the and the upper periphery of said guide is larger sizes of pipes (larger than about tvco Joined by an adjustable member E20 to the `a inches in diameter) are to be cut and as far clamp ring' 15. As best shown in Fig. 4, a 60 as l am aware no cutter has heretofore been bolt 21 is threaded in the clamp ring 15 and available for rapidly and accurately forming is arranged to engage the member 2O at the end surfaces on pipes, either beveled or gensides of a longitudinal slot 22 in said Inem erally in planes extending; obliquely relative ber. This slot permits movement of the guide uw .to the MS of the pip@ member 18 and the member 20 relative to the 65 It is my object to provide a novel cut-ter for clamp When the angle of the cut is to be ad- 'apidly and accurately forming such oblique lusted to changes as hereinafter described. cuts. Further objects are to provide aeutter The guide 18 has an outwardlyprojectdesigned to l'orm bevels on the pipes simulta- .Ing flange 23 and a plane surface 24 on said W neous With the formation of the oblique cuts langle is adapted to determine the, angle of and to adapt such a cutter lor use with pipes the cut. Upon this surface 24 is revolubly of different, Size mounted a ring,r 25 havingr an outer rim por- The invention will be best understood by tion embracing the outeredge of the flange reference to the accompanying' drawings in 23. A series of detente 26 (Fig. 6) engage tw which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my imbehind the Harige 23 to retain the ringr 25 5 proved cutter mounted on a pipe; Fie'. 2 is a in sliding engagement With the guide 18. transverse section taken on the line @M2 of Upon the front face of the ring' 25, which is liig'. 1: Fia. is a fragmentary section parallel to the surface 24, is mounted a link through the clamp and support l or the torch QT (Fig. 5) having;r a pivotal connection 28 BU showing' the torch in place in the. clamp; Fie'. with said ring and arod 29. said rod having 80 L1 is a typical, fragmentary, longitudinal seca spherical head 3() .connecting it to a torch tion through the pipe, clamp, oblique `e'uide carriage 81. The rod 29 slidably lits in a and torch carriage connmtions: Fig. 5 is an suitable socket provided on thering 28 and end View of the device as applied to a smaller is held in said socket by a set screw 32. To pipe, with the torch removed and with the confine the link 427 to movement in a plane large guide ring' turned so as to extend in a parallel to the surface 24, a small clip 33 plane perpendicular to the axis' ot the pipe; is rigiiidljtT secured to the ring.;r 25 and slidably Finali is a transverse section through the pipe engages tbc outer surface off said ring. A and clamp. 'with the guide ring' in its perpcnsuitable cap plate confines the head 3() dicular position and showing' the device as While permitting` pivotal movement thereof applied to a small pipe and Fie'. T is a detail in a swivel bearing' formed in the carriage 31. plan vicivshowingr the adjustable member for bracket for anpnortinuthe torch has a connecting' the main Q'nidc ringl to the clamp. laterally cntendinc" llainre Izltl which is perl'n the drawings the numeral lt) indicates loratcd to receive bolts 3i" 'lier securing' said ai) a large metal pipe which is to be cnt bv the use bracket and the carrianje lll to a second fluide ol" a torch 1l ot any suitable or wellelnown ltl having' the torni ol' a sleeve slidably and construction. As illustrated. the torch has a rcrolubly iittim.r about: the pipe 10. tip l? from which the mixture oi oxygen and The bracket 31' projects tuitivard and. longie'as to be burned .is delivered and conncctions` tudinalljty oi? the pipe and is 'formed with an and 14 for the oxygen and gas supplies. arcuate guide groove Slt." lo llierinit angular adjustment of the torch 11, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The body of the torch 11 is gripped by a clamp 4() having a stud 41, which is substantially rectangular in cross section, projecting in the guide groove 39. As indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the stud 41 has a threaded extremity adapted to receive a wing nut 42 for securing the torch in selected positions on the bracket 35.

To adapt the device to fit pipes of diferent sizes, bushings, llike that indicated at 43 in Fig. 6, are provided to fit between the inner periphery of the clamp ring 15 and the smaller pipes 10a. The bushing 43 is preferably provided with gripping members 44 adapted to be engaged by the clamp screws 16 to grip the smaller pipe. Guide sleeves 38 of the several diameters of the pipes to be cut are also provided and each. of these sleeves has a pair of tapped holes to receive the bolts 37. The torch carriage 31 is merely removed from one guide ring 38 and attached to another of the proper size to fit the particular pipe to be cut when the device is to be used to cut a pipe of a different size. Y

In Fig. 1 the mechanism is shown as adjusted to cut the pipe 10 upon an oblique plane, indicated by the dotted line 45. The torch may be secured in the full line position shown in Fig. 1 by manipulating the wing nut 42. With the torch in operation the tip 12 directs the flame against the pipe and as the metal is burned the torch is rotated, to-

gether vwith the guide 38 and carriage 31,.

about the pipe. Simultaneously with this rotating movement, the guide 18 imparts longitudinal movement to the guide 38, torch carriage and torch and the link 27 moves in an arc, about its pivot 28 as a center, to compensate for the varying distance between the guide 18 and the pipe. Thus in passing around the pipe the link 27 assumes the various dotted linek positions indicated in Fig. 2, while the tip 12 of the torch is moved in a plane parallel to the surface 24 of the oblique guide. The torch 11 may be moved in its arcuate guide groove 39 to form a bevel at the desired angle. By merely loosening the screw 21 and extending'or retracting the link 20, relative to the clamp 15, the guide 18 may be pivoted on the bolts 19 to change the angle of the cut relative to the airis of the pipe. The member 20 is preferably graduated yto indicate the angles in degrees and is sufficiently flexible to compensate for the component of movement of the pipe 18 outward from the pipe.

It will now be vunderstood that the guide 18 is not required to be circular in form and it is only necessary to provide a guide surface to determine the angle of the cut. The circular form, how ever, simplifies the connection between the extensible link 27 and the oblique guide and makes it possible to employ a circular ring, like the revoluble ring-25, to support the link 27. Other forms of movable connection between the extensible link and oblique guide may be provided without departing from the spirit of my invention, and where a circular member 25 for making the connection is not employed the guide 18 may be made of elliptical or other non-circular form. lVith the larger pipes it is preferable to hold the torch stationary and to rotate the pipe and it is immaterial to the operation of the device whether the pipe or the torch is held stationary. It will thus be understood that in the following claims relative movement is referred to where it is specified that a torch or other members are revoluble about the axis of the pipe.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pipe cutter, an annular guide adjustable to determine the angle of the cut relative to the axis of the pipe to be cut, means for securing said guide at predetermined angles relative to the axis of the pipe, a torch carriage revoluble about the axis of the pipe and having a member movably engaging the periphery of the pipe, means providing an extensible and retractile connection between said torch carriageand guide movable in a plane parallel to said guide. and means for securing a torch for cutting the pipe on said carriage. l

2. In a pipe cutter, an annular guide having a guide surface adjustable to determine the angle of the cut relative to the axis of the pipe tobe cut, means for securingsaid guide at predetermined angles relative to the axis of the pipe, a torch carriage revoluble about the axis of the pipe, a torch secured to said carriage, said torch having a burner tip, means for maintaining said tip in uniform, spaced relation to the outer surface of the pipe and a member so pivotally and slidably secured as to provide an extensible and retractile connection between said torch carriage and guide movable only in a plane parallel to said guide surface.

3. In a pipe cutter, a normally stationary, annular guide adjustable to determine the angle of the cut relative to the axis of the pipe to be cut, means for securing said guide at oblique angles relative to the axis of the pipe, a second guide revoluble about the axis of the pipe, a torch secured to said second guide and having a tip maintainedin predetermined, spaced relation to the outer surface of the pipe and an extensible and retractile connection between said stationary and revoluble guides movable in a plane parallel to said stationary guide for advancing said revoluble guide and torch along the pipe simultaneously when the same are rotated.

4. In a pipe cutter, a clamp adapted to be rigidly secured to the pipe to be cut, an annular, normally stationary guide pivotally secured to said clamp, said guide having a guide surface determining the angle oi the cut relative to the axis of the pipe to be cut, means for securingl said guide in positions oblique to the axis of the pipe, a torch carriage revoluble about the axis of the pipe, an extensible and retractile connection between said carriage and guide and a torch secured to said carriage and having a tip movable in a plane parallel to said guide surface to cut the pipe by burning.

5. In a pipe cutter, a clamp adapted to be rigidly secured to the pipe to be cut, a pair of arms projecting from said clamp at opposite sides of the pipe, an annular guide 'pivotally secured to said arms, said guide having a guide surface determining the angle of the cut relative to the axis of the pipe to be cut, a ring revolubly fitting the periphery of the pipe, a torch carriage rigidly secured to said ring, means j noviding a movable connection between said carriage and guide and a torch secured to said carriage and having a tip adapted to direct a flame against the pipe to cut the same by burning.

(i. In a pipe cutter, a clamp adapted to bc secured to the pipe to be cut, a circular guide pivotally connected to said clamp and of substantially larger diameter than the pipe to be cut, means for securing said guide at predetermined angles relative to the axis ot the pipe, said guide having a plane surface determining the angle of the cut, a ring revoluble upon said surface, a. second guide `revoluble about the. axis of the pipe, a torch connected to said second guide and having a tip adapted to be maintained thereby in predetermined, spaced relation to the periphery of the pipe and extensible means connected to said ring and to said second guide and movable in a plane parallel to said guide surface.

7. In a pipe cutter, a clamp ad apt-ed to be secured to the pipe to be cut, a circular guide pivotally connected to said arms and of substantially larger diameter than the pipe to be cut, means for securing said guide at predetermined angles relative to the axis of the pipe.` said guide having a surface determining the angle ofthe cut relative to the axis of the pipe, a ring abutting against said .surface and revolubly connected to said guide, a second guide revoluble about the axis of the pipe, a torch connected to said second guide and having a tip adapted to be maintained thereby in predetermined spaced relation to the surface of the pipe and an extensible member joining said ring and second guide and movable in a plane parallel to said guide surface, said member having a pivotal connection with said second guide.

8. In a pipe cutter, a clamp adapted to be secured to the pipe to be cut, a pair of arms projecting from said clamp at opposite sides of the pipe, a normally stationary, circular guide pivotally connected to said arms and of substantially larger diameter than the pipe to be cut, means for securing said guide at predetermined angles relative to the axis of the pipe, said guide having a surface determining the angle of the cut, a ring confined against said surface and revolubly connected to said guide. a second guide revoluble about the axis of the pipe, a torch detachably secured to said second guide and having a tip adapted to be maintained thereby in predetermined, spaced relation to the periphery of the pipe and extensible means connected to said ring and second guide and movable in a plane parallel to said guide surface to advance said second' guide and torch longitudinally of the pipe simultaneously with rotary movement around the pipe.

9. In a pipe cutter, an annular guide adapted to determine the angle of the cut relative to the axis of the pipe, means for securing said guide in different planes oblique to the axis ot' the pipe, a torch carriage revoluble about the aXis of the pipe and having a member revolubly and slidably engaging the periphery of the pipe, means providing an extensible connection between said torch carriage and guide, a projecting bracket on said carriage, a torch having a tip to be mounted a predetermined distance from the pipe and means for securing said torch to said bracket in position to form a beveled end on the pipe.

l0. In a pipe cutter` an annular guide adapted to determine the angle of the cut relative to the axis of the pipe, means for securing said guide in dilferent planes oblique to the axis of the pipe` a torch carriage'revoluble about the axis ofthe pipe and having a member revolubly and slidably engaging the periphery ofthe pipe. means providing an eX- tensible connection between said torch carri age and guide, a projecting bracket on said carriage having an arcuate guide for a torch, a torch having a tip to be mounted a vpredetermined distance from the pipe. the center of curvature of said arcuate guide being located substantially on the surface of the pipe to be cut and means for securing said' torch on said bracket in various positions on said arcuate guide to form beveled end surfaces on the pipe.

11. In a pipe cutter, an annular guide adapted to determine the angle of the cut l relative to the axis of the pipe, means for securing said guide to pipes of different sizes in planes oblique to the axes of the pipes, a torch carriage revoluble about the axis of the pipe, means for removably securing said carriage to members of diierent thickness revolubly and slidably engaging the periphery of the pipe, means providing an extensible connection between said torch carriage and guide, a torch having a tip to be mounted a llt predetermined distance from the pipe, means for securing said torch to said carriage and a second guide revolnbly und slidably fitting :1V pipe and secured to Said Carriage for maintaining said tip n predetermined distance from the pipe during the formation of an oblique out.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my nume to this specieation.

DANIEL IV. HICKEY. 

